Coin-controlled dispensing apparatus



April 13 1926.

J. FRICK com CONTROLLED DISPENSINGAPPARA'IUS Filed July 23, 1919 4 Shuts-Sheet 1 FIG.

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April 13 {1926. 1,581,050

J. FRICK COIN CONTROLLED DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July 23, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JTIWIFWEK April 13 1926. 1,581,050

J. FRICK COIN CONTROLLED DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July-25, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W/m Eas: m "(75/972 Fflb/E 2A. 2; 577/:

April 13 1926.

l.581,050 J. FRICK com CONTROLLED DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l Emu-i Ill/442' Patented Apr. 13, 1926. l

.- UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFlC-E.

JOHN ERICK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO RICHMOND BEVERAGE MACHINE CORPORATION, OF RICHMOND, VIR- GINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 23, 1919. Serial No. 312,806.

To all whomz't may concern: Fig. is'a plane view of the carbonated Be it known that I, JOH'N FRICK, a c1t1- Water cooling and measuring device. zen of the United States, residing at Phila- F ig. 6 is a side elevation of the coin actudelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ated mechanism. 4 v 5 of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Fig. 7 'is a plan view of the base for the 5 useful Improvement in Coin-Controlled Discoin.

pensing Apparatus, of which the following Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the caris a full, clear, and exact description, referbonated Water measuring and delivering acence being had to the accompanying drawtuating mechanism.

1 ings, which form a part of this specification. Fig. 9 is a side view, partly in section, of i The object of my invention is to provide the carbonated Water delivering line, showa liquid-dispensing apparatus, adapted, upon in}; means for preventing splashing of the introduction of a relatively small sized coin water. r

or token and movement of a lever, to de- Fig-10 is a sectional view showing the liver a cup, or, upon introduction of a coin flavoring syrup reservoir and measuring or token of relatively larger size and sucand delivering pump.

cessive movement of two independent levers, Fig. 11 is a plan view of the cup retaining to deliver a cup and supply thereto a meas and delivering device.

ured quantity of mingled carbonated water Fig. 12 is a sectional view along line and syrup. 12-42 of Fig. 11. c A further object of my invention is to Fig. 13 is a sectional view along line provide a vending machine which will be 1313 of Fig. 11. simple in operation and at the same time Fig. 14 is a detail bottom View of one of easily replenished with syrup and carbonthe cup retainers. atcd water and the parts of which may be The vending machine is composed of a readily and thoroughly cleaned. carbonated water cooling, measuring and de-.

A further object of my invention is to prolivering element; a cup containing and coin vide a machine which will be fool-proof and connected manually operated delivering eleto render it impossible to cause the machine ment and coin connected, manually operated,

39 to deliver more than the predetermined actuating mechanism for delivering a mea's- 89 quantities of syrup and charged water in nred quantity of flavoring syrup and a any one delivering. measured quantity of carbonated Water.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, The elements are connected and mounted in which I have illustrated a preferred emwithin a casing a, provided on its front with bodiment of my invention and in which like suitable holders for a cup and apertures for 35 symbols designated similar parts in the difthe insertion of a coin, the actuating lever, .ferent views, and delivering tubes. 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine The carbonated water cooling, measuring casing showing operating and delivering deand delivering element comprises an insuvices. lated tank 1), adapted to be iced, in which 99 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete are suitably mounted the horizontal cylinmachine with side casing removed. dcrs a connected together by a pipe (Z and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, connected to a supply of carbonated water a. of the carbonated water cooling, measuring W'ith'in the tank is located an upright cylinand delivering device and its operating der h enclosing a tight fitting plunger 11 mechanism. carried by a screw j threaded in the cylinder Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, partly in section, head and retained in any desired position by of the carbonated Water cooling, measuring means of a lock nut is. and delivery device and its operating mech- A pipe Zconnects one of the horizontal anism. cylinders c with a passage 3 in the upper part of a valve casing m. A pipe a leading from the lower part of the valve casing has a Y branch leading to the bottom of cylinder h, the main lineextending upward and out of the tank I) and terminating in a valve 0. A pipe p leads from the lower part of the valve casing and terminates in a muflier f. Small holes 1' in the side of the pipe alow communication from the pipe to the muflier. A pipe '8 leads from the muflier, out through the casing 41. and terminates at .a nozzle t, which it partly incloses and beneath which is a cup holder 35. The end of the nozzle is protected by a shield u fastened to the casing. From the cup-holder a drain pipe 9 leads to a receptacle 42 within the casing. An aperture 46 in the casing a connects with the receptacle 42 and permits of the disposal of used cups.

The valve casing m is provided with two valve seats '0 and w and a double-faced valve :10, above the top of which extends a pilot valve 2 adapted to control passagey and facilitates the seating of the main valve onseat '22. It will be seen that when the valve is in its lower position its lower face will seat on seat w, closing communication between cylinder h and nozzle t, while its up per face and the pilot valve will be clear of seat '0. and passage 3 affording communication between cylinders c, the carbonated water supply e, and cylinder h, and vice versa. A plug is threaded onto the head of valve casing m and may be removed for cleaning the valve.

A valve stem 3, integral with valve m, extends out of the casing through a stufiing box 4 and is fitted on the end with a yoke 5.

. The yoke carries a spring-pressed tappet having a roller 6 on its end. Valvew is drawn into lower position by means of a spring 7 connected to bracket 8. Beneath the roller is-a horizontal shaft 10 carried by bracket 8 in suitable bearings. Pinned to the shaft is a cam 13 adapted to act on the roller 6 and raise the valve against the action of spring 7, which, when the high point of the cam passes out of contact with the tappet, returns the valve to its lower position. A second cam 14 is pinned to the shaft and adapted to act on a' block 15, provided with a roller 16 and slidable on the bracket 8, against the action of a spring 17, carried by a pin 18 in the frame and connected to a pin 19 extending from the block.

A pinion 20 is sleeved on the shaft 10, the sleeve being connected with the shaft, in one direction through the action of a pawl 21, carried by the sleeve, on ratchet 22 carried by the shaft.

The flavoring syrup containing, measuring and delivering element comprising a container 23, provided with a removable cover 24, and a false bottom 25, is suitably fastened to a frame 26.

A well 27, provided with a passage 28 flush with the false bottom, is positioned in the bottom of the container.

A plunger 29, having a stem 30, is fitted -into the well, and a pipe 31 leads from near The cup containing and delivering element comprises a cylindrical retainer 36, partially cut away in front to allow for filling with nested individual -paper drinking cups 37, supported, within an annular flange 38, on the base 39 of the retaining and delivering device.

The nested cups are supported by one another, the flange 40 of the lower cup resting on the fingers 41.

The fingers 41 are adapted to slide in guideways and are maintained in their outer position, against the action of springs 43, extending between the fingers and the base 39, by means of the high points of circular cam plate 44.

Above fingers 41 are located similar fingers 45, adapted to slide in guideways and adapted tobe advanced against the action of springs 47 extending between the fingers and base 39, by the high points of circular cam plate 48.

The high points of cam plate 48 are reversed as to those of cam plate 44, so that when cam plate 44 acts toadvance fingers 41, cam plate 48 will permit springs 47 to retract fingers 45, and vice versa. The cam plates are fastened together by means of screws and rotate together within the base 39.

Levers 49 pivoted to the base at 50 are positioned between fingers 41 and 45 and are provided with extensions 51 to which are se-- cured rollers 52.

The cam plate 48 has formed on its upper surface, at intervals, cams 53 adapted, in the rotation of the cam plates, to underride the rollers 52 and tip the levers 49. Springs 54 are fastened to the cam plate 48 and to the base 39 to bring the cams back to their initial position, shown in Figure 11.

Pivoted to the base is a pawl 55 having on its side a cam 56, the point of the pawl being adapted to stop the cam plates when they are turned until the point contacts with the adjacent high point of cam plate 44, and before a cup can be released. A spring 57, extending between the base and the pawl, maintains the pawl in position to stop the cam plates. A radial slot 58 is cut in the cam plates adjacent the low po nt of cam 56 for the reception of a coin 11, which is supported by a plate 59 secured at one end to the underneath part of the frame and is provided adjacent its free end with ratchet teeth 60, the coin acting as a pawl, when the cup is released, to prevent the cams being retracted and again advanced to secure another cup with the same coin.

A handle 61 adapted toextend through slot 62 in the casing a is secured to the cam plate 48. A stop 63 is secured to the base adapted to contact with the inner end of the handle 61 and stop the cam plates in such a position that the coin slot'58 will be opposite the low point of pawl cam 56.

Positioned beneath the cup retaining and delivering mechanism is a cup delivering tube 64, which extends downwardly and through the casing a. Beneath the end of the delivering tube is cup holder 65, into which the delivered cup falls and from which it may be conveniently taken.

The coin-connected manually operated actuating mechanism for dehvermg the syrup and carbonated water comprises a rack bar 66 in engagement with pinion 20. An orificed block' 67 surrounds the end of the rack bar and contains a coin slot at an angle therein just beyond the end of the enclosed bar. This block is adapted to be slid along the top of a coin chute 68 by a hand lever 7 2 pivoted to a suitable support and having an arm connected with the block by slotand. pin connection 69.

Ordinarily, block 67 slides freely-on the rack bar without moving it. VVhena coin is entered into its coin slot, however, the coin, being larger in diameter than. the rack bar, forms a stop and in the movement of the block the bar is also moved, turning "pinion 10 and operating the dispensing valve.

Chute 68 has an elongated opening 69 in its .top face, underlying block 67 in its movcment by the hand lever. This opening 69 is of a width to permit a coin or token of the relatively smaller diameter used in connection with the first dispensing mechanism, to fall directly through the coin slot in block 67 and through said opening 69 into chute 68; hence the relatively smaller 'coin or token cannot render the second dispensing mechanism operable through depression of lever 72. Said opening 69 is, however, through the major portion of its length, sufliciently narrow to afford a support for a coin or-tokenof the relatively larger diameter employed for coupling and rendering operable the second dispensing mechanism, when such coin is held in the coin slot of block 67, and until said -block is moved through depression of lever 72 to complete the function of the scconddispensing mechanism. .At-or nearthe end of the inward movement of block 67, therein or token,

- the widened held inthe coin slot of said block, reaches portion of opening 69 (see Fig. 7), and falls from block' 67 into chute 68.

After the block has been made to travel as described, it returns to its initial position when the hand lever is released. Rack bar 66 is also returned to its initial posit1on by providing a slot 93 in the. bar

adapted to act with a pin 9-1 in the block in position to act on-the ratchet 76 as the handle descends, until the trip acts to throw it out of engagement, when the handle reaches its lower limit. A detent pin 80, held in place by a spring 81, engages the short arm of the pawl and holds it in engagement with the ratchet until the out of its ratchet engaging position until the handle is raised and the stop 77 throws the pawl back into engagement with the ratchet. k

Pivoted to the block engaging arm of lever 72 is a forked rod 83 engaging the shaft 10 with its forked end and having a shoulder 84 formed on its side to act as a stop for shaft 10 through the medium ofv arm 85 carried by cam 14 and positioned to contact with the arm when the rod 83 is fully advanced by the lever reaching its lower. position. A dash pot 86 is positioned pawl is tripped. The detent then holds the pawl adjacent the lever 72 and connected with.

the block engaging arm to regulate the speed at which the lever may be moved.

A coin slot 88 in the casing a communicates with a coin duct 89, which leads the coin to slot 58 in cam plates 44 and 48.

- Beneath the end of plate 59 is a coin duct 90 adapted to receive a coin released from the cup retaining mechanism and extends downwardly to a point just above the coin slot in block 67. A leaf spring 91 having a flange 92 at one end is fastened to the coin receptacle 68 and extends upwardly in such a position that when the block is not in position to receive a coin the flange will be under the end of the coin duct and will preventa coin from coming. out. \Vhen the block isreturned to the coinreceiving'position the spring is pushed out of the/way and the coin may drop into the coin slot.

To prepare the machine for operation, the valve 9 is opened connecting the carbonated water supply with the horizontal tanks 0,

and plunger 71 is adjusted in cylinder it so that the cylinder will contain the desired quantity of carbonated water.

The cams 13 and 14 are set in the rela tion to each other shown in Figure 8, the cam 13 being in position to raise VHhB a which in this position is seated on-the face '10, closing off the delivering tube, when the high point of cam 14 isabout to leave the block 15.

The stroke of plunger 29 is adjusted,

through adjustment of lever 32 on plate 34,

to pump the required quantity of syrup.

In operation, if only a cup be desired, a coin or token of relatively smaller size is inserted in the coin slot 88 and passes along duct 89, dropping into slot 58, in the cup mechanism, and bearing against the low point of cam surface 56 on pawl 55.-

Handle 61 is then moved to the left, turning the cam plates-44 and 48 in a clockwise direction and at the same time mov the high points of cam plate 48 engage andadvance fingers 45, which engages the flange of the cup next to the bottom, then cams 53 underride rollers 52, causing levers 49 to tip down and break out the cup, which falls into delivering tube and passes through the casing, landing in cup holder 65 as shown in Fig. 1. The coin has now reached the free end of base plate 59 and having no support drops out of slot 58 and falls into coin duct 90. WVhen the cup is.

received, the handle 61 is released and springs 54 turnthe cam. plates in an anticlockwise relation until handle 61 contacts with stop 63.

It will be noted that before the cup releasing mechanism starts: to operate the coin engages the ratchet 60 and anti-clockwise movement of the cam plates is impossible until their clockwise movement has been completed and the coin has been permitted to drop out of the slot 58. Thus, it is impossible to'obtain more than one cup with a single coin.

If both a cup and a beverage charge therefor be desired, a coin of relatively larger size is passed through the coin slot 88, handle or lever 61 is moved its full distance to force back the pawl 55 and deliver a cup as before, and the cup is lifted out of the holder 65 and placed in the holder 35 beneath the syrup and carbonated water nozzle.

The coin, whether larger or smaller,

a coin of the lar er size, rotates shaft 10,"

through pinion 20, pawl 21 and ratchet 22. As shaft 10 turns, lever 32 is actuated and causes plunger 29 to force syrup from well 27, up pipe 31, and into the cup and causes the plunger to again rise, permitting the well to refill. The rotation of shaft 10 causes cams 13 and '14 to'turn.

- The high point of cam 13 moves away from roller (3, permitting valve w to assume its lower position on seat w under the influence of spring 7, opening communication between the cylinder 11, which acts as a meas uring cup, and the tanks 0 through passage 3/ in the valve casing and pipe at, causing the measuring cup to fill with carbonated water.

Cam 14 turns on roller 16, forcing block 15 down and tensioning spring 17.

The rack advances turning the shaft 10 and the cams as above described until the cams assume the position shown in Fig. 8, with cam 13 about to raise 'roller 6 on the valve tapp'et and" the roller 16' about to leave the high point of cam 14. In the movement of the hand lever, the forked rod 83 is advanced so that a slight continued movement of shaft 10 will cause arm to contact with shoulder 84 and stop further movement.

A slight further movement of the rack causes block 15, under the influence of the tension set up in spring 17, to kick cam 14 around, as roller 1.6 goes off the high point of the cam, causing cam 13 to raise valve 02, seating it on seat 4) and causing pilot valve 2" to close off passage y, at the same time opening connnunication between the cylinder in and nozzle 23, allowing the carbonated water in the cylinder to discharge into the cup and mix with the syrup.

. When roller 6 is on the high point of cam 13, arm 85 contacts with shoulder 84 and motion stops.

The coin drops through slot 7 0 into chute 68 leading to any convenient receptacle.

During the descent of lever 7 2 the pawl 79 engages'ratchet 7 6, preventing the lever from being raised until it reaches the hottom of its stroke, when the pawl is tripped out of action by means of the tripper 78.

The lever 72 is returned to its initial position by means of spring 75 and the pawl put in action by stop "2'7, which engages it. as the handle reaches its initial position. It will be noted that when the lever is moved down it must be moved all the way downand the coin dropped out before being obtained "with one coin.

it can be again raised, thus preventing any more than one portion of syrup and water It will also be seen that in the absence of a coin in the slot 58, pawl 55 will preclude a move- The mufiler g and arrangement of the nozzle t in pipe 8 prevents the water from splashing and spitting out of the nozzle 25.

lVhen it becomes necessary to wash out the machine, this may be done by attaching a hose to valve 0, opening the valve and turning on a supply of water.

I do not herein claim the detals of the syrup pump, as shown in Fig. ,10, or the carbonatedwater supply and measuring de vice and valve therefor, as shown in Fig. 3, with its controlling cam, shaft and lever, as these form the subject-matter of a separate divisional application filed December 31, 1919, Serial No. 348,669. While the apparatus described in the foregoing specification is primarily designed to dispense either a cup or a cup 'and a carbonated-liquid and syrup charge therefor, it is obvious that other liquids such as coffee and cream, or in fact any suitable liquid commodities may be dispensed by this machine.

In compliance with official requirement,

the claims pertaining to the cup-dispensing.

mechanism per se have been carried into a divisional application filed February 20, 1922, Serial No. 537,797.

Having now fullydescribed my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for dispensing sucoes sively a cup and a liquid charge therefor, comprising two distinct dispensing mechanisms, one for cups and the other for liquid charges; two manually operable actuating devices, one for each dispensing mechanism, that for the second including two normally disconnected members; a coin slot formed in a movable member of the first actuating device; a duct positioned to receive .such coin from said coin slot and to deliver it between the disconnected members of the second actuating device; and a support for the coin so delivered and positioned, having an elongated opening of a width suflicient to permit a coin of relatively smaller diameter to falldirectly through, but not sufficient to permit escape of a coin of relatively larger diameter until the second actuatingdevice has carried the coin over and beyond such support.

2. An apparatus for dispensing successively a cup and a liquid charge therefor, comprising two distinct dispensing mechanisms, one for cups and the other for liquid charges; two manually operable actuating devices, one for each dispensing mechanism, that for the second including two normally disconnected members; a coin slot formed in a. movable member of the first actuating device; a pawl serving to prevent effective movement of the first actuating device until forced out of arresting position by a coin carried in said slot; a duct positioned to receive such coin from said coin slot and to deliver it between the disconnected members of the second actuating device; and a support for the coin so delivered and positioned, having an elongated opening of a width sufiicient to permit a coin of relatively smaller diameter to fall directly througln'but not sufiicient to permit escape of a coin of relatively larger diameter until the second actuating device has carried the coin over and beyond such support.

3. An apparatus for dispensing successively a cup and a liquid charge therefor, comprising two distinct dispensing mechanism, one for cups and the other for liquid charges; two manually operable actuating devices, one foreach dispensing mechanism, that for the second including two normallydisconnected members; a coin slot formed in a movable member of the first actuating device; a serrated surface over which a coin in the coin slot will move in a forward direction and with which it will engage and prevent backward movement of the actuating device; a duct positioned to receive such coin from said coin slot and to deliver it between the ,.disconnected members of the second actuating device and a support for the coin so delivered and positioned, having an elongated opening of a width suflicient to permit a coin of relatively smaller diameter to fall directly through, but not sufficient to permit escape of a coin ofrelatively larger diameter until the second actuating device has carried the coin over and beyond such support. I

4:. A dispensing apparatus comprising a cup container for a stack of cups, hand actuated devices for delivering a cup each time the mechanism is actuated, coin controlled means for permitting said mechanism to be actuated, said mechanism being arranged to be actuated by coins of different denominations, fluid measuring and delivery mechanism, a second hand actuated device forhand actuated mechanism, ('oin controlled means for permitting said second hand controlled mechanism to be actuated, means for directing coins to the first hand actuated mechanism, means for directing the coins from the first hand actuated mechanism -to the second hand actuated mechanism after a cup has been delivered, and means for throwing coins of one denomination in one iji. direction and delivering coins ofianother denomination to the second hand .actuated mechanism to permit the fluid measuring and delivering mechanism to be actuated.

. In testimony'of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Penna, on this 21st day of July, 1919.

JOHN FRICK. 

